The Pros and Cons of the Keyless Ignition

Push-button start cars are really convenient and quite nice once you get used to them. You don't have to take your keys out of your pocket, and you don't have a key chain dangling from the steering column. Since you don't have to take your keys out of your pocket, there is almost no chance of locking your keys in the car.

Of course, for every advancement, there are issues. Some people like the old-style keys and see this sort of advancement as just something else that can go wrong. Well, those people would not be wrong. However, the expense of car keys started to go up before the push-button start technology came out.

If your first car was older, you probably had two keys for your car: an ignition key and a door key. These keys did nothing but unlock the door and start the car. There were no buttons on the keys, and if you needed a copy made, you went to the hardware store and got a duplicate of your key for a couple of bucks.

All of a sudden, the keys got complicated. Transponder keys contain a microchip built into the head of the key and became an important part of the Vehicle Anti-Theft System. Without the chip in place, the car was not going to start. The first manufacturer to use this system was Chevrolet in 1985 to cut down on the theft of Corvettes. Once Chevy implemented this system, thefts of Corvettes went way down. Manufacturers start to implement this system on all of their cars.

The issue was that if a person lost a key or just wanted to have a spare, you could no longer go to the hardware store, and the keys cost far more than a couple of bucks. These keys could now cost several hundreds of dollars to replace.

The push-button start is actually not new. In fact, the first manufacturer to have a push-button start was Cadillac back in 1912. Back then, most cars needed to be hand-cranked before starting. The push-button start saved lives, reduced injuries, and made driving available to people who didn't have the strength to crank an engine. Push-button starting pre-dated modern keys, which first arrived on the scene with the 1949 Chrysler.

While the Corvette team at Chevrolet started with a proximity-key entry in 1993, the first keyless ignition systems started to appear in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class was the first mass-produced car to have a keyless ignition system. They were followed by luxury brands Acura, Cadillac, Lexus, and Roll-Royce.

So what are the pros and inevitable cons of a keyless ignition system?

Pros

• Major convenience – The fob can remain in your pocket or purse when locking, unlocking, or starting the car. No more fumbling for keys or trying to remember where you put it. As long as it is somewhere on your person, you are good to go.

• Remote start – While it is not always necessary to warm up your car for any length of time, you may want to start the car to get the air conditioner or heater working when the weather is at the extremes.

• It is practically impossible to lock your keys in the car – if you leave the fob in the vehicle, it is still in proximity so that you can open your vehicle without a problem. No more embarrassing calls to the mechanic or a tow truck to come to the rescue.

As we mentioned, there are also some unfortunate downsides. However, for most people, even with these cons, the benefit outweighs the risk.

• Lost fobs are very expensive to replace, sometimes several hundred dollars.

• If you are not used to shutting your car off with a button, there is a risk of leaving your car running. If this is done with the car parked in a garage, this can lead to fatal carbon monoxide poisoning.

• Lack of industry standardization makes it more difficult and more expensive to repair. The way a fob is used can also vary from model to model, so if you are familiar with one manufacturer's fob, you may still have to relearn how to use it on a new make or model.

• If the battery dies in your fob, you have to know how to extract the key hidden in most fobs. If not, you may have to call for roadside assistance.

As things become more convenient, they also become more complex. For most people, the pros outweigh the cons. Unless you are going to drive a car from the 70s or 80s your whole life, many of these advancements are unavoidable. Just as it is important to know how to change a tire, it is essential to understand how to gain entry into your vehicle and start the car if your fob malfunctions.